Caladium plant named ‘Water&#39;s Edge’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘Water&#39;s Edge’, characterized by its intermediate height, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit and moderately rapid growth rate; fancy-type leaves with bright white-colored venation, grey green-colored interveinal areas surrounded by dark green borders; relatively high yield of largest grade tubers; and above average tolerance to  Xanthomonas  Leaf Spot.

Botanical designation: Caladium×hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WATER'S EDGE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Water's Edge’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2009 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Aaron’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum ‘Candidum Senior’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. in September, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by ‘chipping’ the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Water's Edge’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Water's Edge’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate in height, upright and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and moderately rapid growth rate.     -   3. Fancy-type leaves with bright white-colored venation, grey         green-colored interveinal areas surrounded by dark green         borders.     -   4. Relatively high yield of largest grade tubers.     -   5. Above average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Aaron’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium have a more attractive growth         habit than plants of ‘Aaron’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Aaron’ differ in leaf color         as leaves of ‘Aaron’ have white-colored venation and radiating         interveinal areas surrounded with green-colored borders.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Aaron’ differ in tolerance to         Xanthomonas Leaf Spot as plants of ‘Aaron’ are more susceptible         to damage resulting from Xanthomonas Leaf Spot than plants of         the new Caladium.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium produce more tubers of the largest         grade sizes than plants of ‘Aaron’.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Candidum Senior’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium are smaller and flatter         than leaves of ‘Candidum Senior’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum Senior’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of ‘Candidum Senior’ are greenish white in         color with medium green-colored venation and thin green-colored         margins.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum Senior’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Candidum Senior’ are tan         green in color with darker-colored stripes, streaks and         stippling.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium produce more tubers of the largest         grade sizes than plants of ‘Candidum Senior’.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Candidum’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Candidum’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of ‘Candidum’ have distinct green-colored         venation with white-colored interveinal areas.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum’ differ in leaf         petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Candidum’ are black in color         with green-colored stripes.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum’ differ in tolerance         to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot as plants of ‘Candidum’ are more         susceptible to damage resulting from Xanthomonas Leaf Spot than         plants of the new Caladium.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium produce more tubers of the largest         grade sizes than plants of ‘Candidum’.

Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Florida Moonlight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,565. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Florida Moonlight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium are smaller and narrower         than plants of ‘Florida Moonlight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Moonlight’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of ‘Florida Moonlight’ have greenish         white-colored leaves and venation.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Moonlight’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Florida Moonlight’ are         tan pink in color with greenish brown-colored stippling, streaks         and tessellations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Water's Edge’ in a container and grown in a shadehouse (tuber not de-eyed).

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘Aaron’ (left), ‘Water's Edge’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Candidum Senior’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Candidum’ (left), ‘Water's Edge’ (center) and ‘Florida Moonlight’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘Water's Edge’ grown in containers; the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Water's Edge’ grown in an open field.

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical freshly-harvested tuber and roots of ‘Water's Edge’.

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Water's Edge’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shadehouse-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels ranged from about 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shadehouse were ten weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were eight months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum ‘Water's Edge’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘Aaron’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘Candidum             Senior’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented and somewhat flattened;             individual segments elliptic or irregular in shape. Height:             About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 cm to 8.8 cm. Segment             height: About 3.6 cm. Segment diameter: About 4 cm to             5.5 cm. Axillary buds, height: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Texture:             Thick, starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis,             freshly-harvested: Close to 1788 and 178C. Epidermis, dried:             Close to 177A and 200A. Cortical tissue: Close to 159A             tinged with close to N170D. Axillary buds: Close to 49C to             49D. Root description: Thick, fleshy contractile roots;             color, close to 155C faintly tinged with close to 181D.             Rooting habit: Low branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate in height, upright and             uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous and dense growth             habit; rapid growth rate, potted plants in finished or             saleable form in about eight weeks after planting tubers;             leaf petioles and leaves arise from one or more growing             points on tubers; petioles mostly upright and leaning             outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 28 cm to 35 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 34 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 42 cm to 50 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About two to three develop per #1 tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About three to four develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About 5             cm to 8.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing the stem. Color,             inner surface: Close to 155D; colors and patterns on the             outer surface are visible on the inner surface. Color, outer             surface: Close to 159D and 146D, streaked, stippled and             mottled with close to 200A tinged with close to 147A; with             development, color becoming closer to 200B to 200C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; fancy-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 19.5 cm to             27.2 cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 12 cm to 18 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Sagittate to peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; mostly flat with broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper surface.—Dull sheen.         -   Luster, lower surface.—Glaucous, dull sheen.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Ground color: Close to 147A             tinged with close to 137B. Margins: Close to 147B; at the             apex, close to 187B. Basal notch: Close to 187A to 187B.             Midvein: Close to 192D and close to 155C with close to 195D.             Primary veins: Close to 194C mottled and streaked with close             to 147B. Areas surrounding venation: Close to 155D.             Interveinal areas: Close to 194D and a suffusion of close to             137A, 137B, 194C to 194D and 194D. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Ground color: Close to 191A.             Margins: Close to 147B; at the apex, close to 187B. Basal             notch: Close to 187A to 187B. Midvein: Close to 194C and             close to 194C to 194D. Primary veins: Close to 193A to 193B             and close to 147C. Secondary veins: Close to 147A to 147B.             Areas surrounding venation: More white than close to 155C.             Interveinal areas: Close to a suffusion of close to 147D and             145D.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight; with             development, leaning outwardly; flexible. Length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 24 cm to 28.5 cm.             Diameter, distally, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 5             mm to 6 mm. Diameter, proximally, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             glaucous. Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants: Close to             147B and close to 147B tinged with close to 137B, variably             and sparsely stippled, streaked and tessellated with close             to 147A to 147B; or close to 147B sparsely stippled,             streaked and tessellated with close to 200C; below the leaf             and petiole junction, close to 147D. Wing length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 3.5 cm to 5.5 cm. Wing             diameter, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 1 cm.             Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             inner and outer surfaces: Dull. Wing color, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: Inner surface: Close to 155D tinged with             close to 145D; colors and patterns on the outer surface are             visible on the inner surface. Outer surface: Close to 159D             and 146D streaked, stippled and mottled with close to 200B             to 200C tinged with close to 147A. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on ten week-old     shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on a tall upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             proximal one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on             the distal two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop             at junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night-fragrant; sweet, jasmine-like with             mint-like camphor note.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring and summer             in central Florida; flowers develop about ten weeks after             growth commences; inflorescences last about three days             before fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 11.8 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 7.1 cm. Length, proximal closed portion:             About 4.7 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 3.7 cm.             Depth, distal open portion: About 2.7 cm. Width, at             constriction: About 1.2 cm. Width, proximal closed portion:             About 2.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, front and rear surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Luster, front surface: Dull sheen. Luster,             rear surface: Glaucous, dull sheen. Color, front surface:             Distal open portion: Close to 155C; margins variably tinged             with close to 193C; with development, color becoming closer             to 200C and 200D. Proximal closed portion: Close to 147C;             color does not change with development. Color, rear surface:             Distal open portion: Whiter than 155C, variable areas, close             to 147D tinged with close to 146D; color does not change             with development. Proximal closed portion: Close to 147A and             147B mottled with close to 147C and 147D; color does not             change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length, overall: About 7.1 cm. Length, male flower             zone: About 4.6 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.5 cm.             Length, female flower zone: About 1 cm. Diameter, male             flower zone: About 1 cm. Diameter, sterile flower zone:             About 7 mm. Diameter, female flower zone: About 1 cm. Shape:             Columnar, spindle-shaped. Apex: Acute to obtuse. Base:             Obtuse. Aspect: Upright. Color, mature, male zone: Close to             158D tinged with close to 4D. Color, mature, sterile zone:             Close to 158D. Color, mature, female zone: Close to 155C and             36D. Male flowers: Quantity per spadix: About 165. Shape:             Obovate. Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4C. Female flowers:             Quantity per spadix: About 48. Shape: Obovate. Height: About             2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Stigma color: Close to 155C.             Ovary color: Close to 36D.         -   Scape.—Length: About 22.2 cm. Diameter: About 8.5 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; rigid and somewhat flexible. Aspect:             Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Slightly             glossy; below spathe, glaucous. Color: Close to 147B to 147C             tinged with close to 145B; just below spathe, close to 147C             to 147D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have above average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot.     Plants of the new Caladium have been observed to have average     tolerance to Pythium Root Rot. Plants of the new Caladium have not     been observed to have resistance to pests and other pathogens common     to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler     zones, tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a     cool dry environment overwinter for re-planting the following     spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Water's Edge’ as illustrated and described. 